Studies in American History 
319 
The retiring President can afford to abide his time. His rec- 
ord will take care of itself.’'®" This is the verdict of history 
a half-century later.®® 
The question of whether Indiana’s representatives in Con- 
gress really represented the sentiments of the people on re- 
construction is interesting but difficult to answer. Judging 
by the election returns, it would appear that at least until 
1870 the majority of the voters in Indiana favored the con- 
gressional policy. There is less evidence of this support there- 
after. The gradual decline in the Republican vote has already 
been indicated. In 1870 the Democrats won in the state elec- 
tion by a small majority. In 1872 a Democratic governor was 
elected, tho Grant carried the state for president. In 1874, 
eight out of thirteen congressional districts elected Demo- 
crats, and two years later the electoral vote of Indiana was 
given to Tilden and Hendricks. The popularity of Thomas 
A. Hendricks, the Democratic candidate for governor in 1872 
and for vice-president in 1876, doubtless explains in part what 
happened in those years. The general dissatisfaction with 
Grant’s administration must also have had something to do 
with the outcome of the elections in 1874 and 1876. Notwith- 
standing these things, is it not reasonable to conclude that 
many supporters of the congressional plan felt after 1870, as 
did George W. Julian, that the work of reconstruction had 
been consummated and that it was time to turn to other 
things ? 
Viewed from the present day it seems most unfortunate 
that lingering war passions, sectional and party hatreds 
played such a prominent part in reconstruction. The peo- 
ple of Indiana, both those at home and those in public life, 
were not immune from these feelings. Perhaps it could not 
have been otherwise. With the rest of the North they had 
made great sacrifices. They did not want to see the achieve- 
ments of the war undone. Their fears may have been ground- 
less, but they were natural. At the same time, it must be 
admitted that a genuine understanding and appreciation of 
the southern problem was rare. We are now far enough re- 
moved from that day to judge the issue calmly. It is possible 
for us to see what they could not see, that the South was not 
Ibid., March 4, 1881. 
James Ford Rhodes, History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850 
to 1896 (New York, 1895-1919), VIII, 138. 
